Walls of Glass

TUESDAY

ADAM
11:01 AM

Adam was astonished. For the second day, McKenna was there in the backyard, having her coffee and cigarette break. Today she was dressed in tight blue pants and a silky white shirt, and her hair was perfect as always.

She's perfect. She's so beautiful.

She was sitting on the white bench. Alone. Her expression seemed contaminated with nostalgia.

"Earth to Adam. Earth to Adam."

Adam turned to Cooper; he had no idea how long he'd been trying to catch his attention.

"Have I, by chance, already mentioned the fact that you're pathetic?" Cooper asked him.

"You have. Yesterday."

"Listen, Adam. Why don't you do something more productive that just brooding over her from a hidden basement window?" In the end, Cooper was trying to encourage him. "And with more productive, I don't mean getting back to work – which by the way would not be a bad idea, too. I mean something like getting your ass out of here and go out there and talk to her so she can at least acknowledge your existence."

He was the bottom of the heap at Lezarc. McKenna had just been promoted to junior manager of the her department.

He was wearing a Lord of The Ring Tee he had bought online. McKenna's blouse seemed to come from one of the most expensive boutiques of the city.

Adam returned to his desk with a sigh.

"Maybe tomorrow."

MCKENNA
11:05 AM

McKenna had discovered the exact location of Edgar LeRoy's office. She had pleaded Olivia to ask Nelson. Her friend was clearly so fed up with her obsession that she had delivered her the information without even trying to argue back. She looked up in the direction of it, while sitting on the bench, the cigarette in one hand, the coffee cup in the other. She was starting to grow fond of that back yard; she found it peaceful, comfortable, intimate. She even liked it better now that Olivia was not there pointing out all its flaws.

She kept looking up, confident he would never notice her anyway. Just like that time when she had just been promoted junior manager, and her own boss Spencer was away on a six month long business trip he had yet to return from. That time she had had to attend a meeting in his place, with all the other area managers – and Edgar LeRoy. That time she had found a place card with her Boss's name at her table place, and not her own. That time Edgar had not noticed her – he had just noticed she was not Spencer. That time she had told him she was McKenna Dunne, but Edgar had addressed her as 'Spencer' vice' for the whole meeting anyway.

That time still hurt.

But maybe next time would be better.

EDGAR
02:10 PM

Edgar had a meeting scheduled for that morning. The scheduled hour had passed ten minutes earlier, and was just now heading to the dedicated room.

He never looked into the eyes of the people he crossed paths with when he walked down the corridors. He just pretended that none were around, and he knew perfectly how everyone hated that.

Not that this is a big problem – when I did used to look into people's eyes, they said my gaze was blood-freezing.

But that day, in the corner of his eyes, copper and white suddenly appeared, catching his attention in a sort of flashback. As soon as Edgar unwillingly focused on the employee, he recognized the back yard girl.

Their gazes locked.

She was the first one who diverted her eyes. He could not get why, but she seemed completely overthrown.

MCKENNA
04:51 PM

"He was looking at me today. I swear he was," McKenna told Olivia.

This afternoon, she had convinced Olivia to join her in the backyard. She had even managed to convince her to actually sit on the white bench, instead of just looking at it disdainfully.

"Looking at you. That's hardly exciting, Mac." Olivia raised an eyebrow. "Unless you're twelve years old. Wait, maybe ten."

"You don't understand." McKenna sighed.

"Sure I don't. It's more than a year that I'm trying to convince you to come back to your senses, and stop talking and doing nonsense." Olivia patted the bench's cushion. "Like coming here, for example."

"Maybe here he'll notice me."

"I really hope for you, my dear." Olivia looked around. "In fact, the competition is not very challenging – weeds, rotten tiles, and stuff."

McKenna laughed, and placed her hand on Olivia's arm. "Thanks for coming here, even if you don't approve."

This time, Olivia smiled silently.

ADAM
04:51 PM

As soon as he heard footsteps in the back yard, Adam darted to the window. After the false alarm of half an hour ago, when two workers had entered the back yard in their paint-spotted uniforms, this time his hopes were fulfilled. McKenna was there again. This time she was with her blond friend. There was a hint of enthusiasm in her voice, a spark that she had lacked completely earlier in the morning.

Adam studied her for the whole break, smoking his own cigarette from his hidden window; at first, he had even feared she might notice his presence, having seen her look down in his direction. But that never happened, because McKenna's gaze kept being drawn to the palace higher floor's windows.

I wonder - what the hell is she looking at?

EDGAR
04:55 PM

The afternoon was late, and Edgar had his window shut. He knew that outside it must be reflecting the setting sun, like he had always seen happening in the city skyscrapers. So he just stood there, looking down in the backyard, hidden behind mirroring glass.

Back yard copper hair girl was there, again, for the second day, looking up.

And he didn't really believe in coincidences.